J.J.'s Mystery Movie: Secrets revealed!

J.J. Abrams sure knows how to tease. Earlier this month, the pop auteur (Alias, Lost, and Mission: Impossible III) ignited a firestorm of curiosity by blowing the head off the Statue of Liberty in a grainy trailer for a nameless film. Now he’s upping the intrigue with this teaser poster.

Unofficially known as Cloverfield (the name of a street in L.A. where Abrams has an office), the film, at press time, does not have an official title. If you’re looking at that gargantuan hole bored in the Manhattan skyline and thinking, It’s a monster movie! — congrats, you’re right. Scripted by Lost writer Drew Goddard, the movie reunites producer Abrams with Felicity co-creator Matt Reeves, who’s directing and shooting it cinema-verité-style on digital video. (Think Blair Witch and the City.) The cast is made up of relative unknowns, with the lead being played by Michael Stahl-David (The Black Donnellys). As for the monster itself, contrary to Internet speculation, it isn’t a parasite, and it ain’t a colossal Asian robot, either. (Some suspected Abrams was mounting a live-action version of the Japanese anime/manga classic Voltron. Nope.) For more teasers, visit Abrams’ new site, www.1-18-08.com. To be continued, for sure…